Once Upon A ThunderStorm
by MagisiticalM
Summary: At that moment as much as he tried to deny it, but it felt just right to be there with her like that:holding her in his arms as if she was his and only his."Its a beautiful story.Please read.The rest I will leave to you.Members have drifted apart.HaruTama


Hi!! This is my First Fanfic in the Ouran High School Host Club section. I sincerely hope that you will like it…  
Please Tell me if you like it or not. It will really help me.

Now on with the Story:

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**Once Upon a Thunder-Storm**

It was yet another thunderstorm. A very violent one at that. And as it rained cats and dogs from the sky; a handsome blonde haired boy found himself wondering that what in the world was in the world was he doing here in front of her apartment.

It had been ten years since he graduated from Ouran. It had been ten years since the tradition dissolved. Tamaki being himself had tried his very best to keep the tradition alive-to keep their bond alive-to be together. But it had given way and now all ties were broken.

Haninozuka and Morinozuka both were extremely busy with their lives. All of their time being devoted to their kendo house. Tamaki had tried to maintain best relation with them but as time passed by, letters became lesser and lesser, emails were scarce and did not contain more than –'How are you? How's business? We are well but busy so meeting will not be possible as yet.'  
As of now even the phone calls were non-existent and there was scarcely any contact. It was like they didn't even know each other.

The Hitachiin twins were extremely busy with their own lives or rather business. Nowadays they were scarcely in Japan: always off to some other country. In the beginning, Tamaki had tried to keep in touch with them but slowly he had lost them too. And now he didn't even know where they were and the only relations- if any- which existed between them, were strictly business.

Kyoya… He'd rather not talk about him. Kyoya- his very best friend whom he had loved with all his heart and for whom he would have done anything, (well, he would do anything for anyone. Wouldn't he now?)had deserted him. Tamaki had thought that they were best friends so he could always be in Kyoya's company, but now it seemed like Kyoya had another plans. Tamaki had persisted on with his old antics which were stopped immediately after being told by Kyoya that if he were to continue with his idiocy, he should not come in his (Kyoya's) presence and that his (Kyoya's) business suffered because of him.  
And now, there was no contact between them. All business matters were handled by his manager if they were concerned with the Ootori group. Tamaki himself never intervened and rather avoided an encounter with Kyoya.

He himself had grown and matured surprisingly. But then how could it have been otherwise considering the situations from all points of view-his grandmother's attitude, his closest friends change in behaviour and his total seclusion. He was carelessly torn apart from his delicate and precious work without even giving a moment's consideration to his own feelings. Well, it had always been like that. First his mother and now his whole world, however selfless and innocent, was snatched away from him.  
And now he had grown into what he himself had disliked most once- a clinical and calculating businessman. He was now an extremely successful businessman: even more than his father had been. He was now the owner of more hotel and business chains than his father had been.  
The delicate, over-enthusiastic and over-emotional boy who found happiness in every single event was now lost in the world of cold professionalism.

_Or was he?_

Deep inside the delicate, beautiful, eccentric boy still existed and he knew it but that side of him was now bitterly despised by him as he held his eccentricity responsible for the loss of his friends. Now he regretted once being like that and considered those antics of himself as idiotic. And even though sometimes a voice in his head told him that that eccentric and over-emotional side of him was the real Tamaki: he ignored it. Now he thought that Everyone-yes, everyone had deserted him because of his idiotic behaviour: Honey and Mori, Kaoru and Hikaru, Kyoya and…_Haruhi…_

_Haruhi…_

Yes, Haruhi had deserted him too. First she had gone off to continue her studies to become a lawyer. He was glad about it. Why, were not father's glad when their daughter's grew up and went to college to study and make a name? But he felt an inexplicable ache of separation which he shouldn't have but he consoled himself saying that –"Surely fathers were sad when their daughters left them alone to go to study." Later she became a very successful lawyer. He was happy. Really happy.

But everything has to come to an end and so did his happiness when he received an f invitation. An invitation inviting him to her wedding. Haruhi's wedding._ His _Haruhi's wedding._  
_She was marrying someone by the name of Akiyoshi. Haruhi-_his _Haruhi was getting married. And although he tried to console himself saying, "All daughters have to get married and in doing so they have to get separated from fathers. So I should be happy that my daughter is finally getting married: though it is unforgivable that she should do so without first asking for her father's permission or even opinion."-he could not rid himself of the unbearable pain that had sprouted in his chest ever since he read that invitation.

It was here, in front of _her_ apartment that he found himself wondering over his business there. Surely, she couldn't be scared of thunder-storms now after all this time. Now, when she had her own family to take care of her. Her family which included her husband and child. Her family _of which h_e _was not a part of…_

He had once desperately tried to ask Haruhi to tell him the reason why she was getting married or at least the reason why he wasn't informed of it earlier as all fathers should be. But he was just answered by a curt- "Senpai, this is none of your business. Do not interfere in my personal affairs." – By a very indifferent and unemotional Haruhi. Even though he had been hurt tremendously by that statement; he had tried one last time going into his corner of woe and making puppy-eyes but to no effect. It was then that the last strings had snapped: It was the last conversation to occur between them. And it was then that he had realized –

Suddenly a shriek rang out throughout the neighbourhood and the next moment Tamaki was at Haruhi's door banging fervently at it with all his might.  
"Haruhi", He shouted knowing the shriek had been Haruhi's."Open the door Haruhi, it's me Tamaki. Open the door." After much banging and thrashing of the door, he heard a slight whimper and clatter of china from behind the door. After some shuffling from inside, the door was suddenly opened and Haruhi was in his arms clinging on to him desperately. Suddenly a thunder boomed across the skies and Haruhi clutched him tighter- nearly knocking the breath out of him.

"Haruhi. It's Okay, Haruhi. I'm here." Tamaki whispered into the girl's ear, trying to console the poor girl and at the same time moving inside the room after locking the door securely.

It had been so long since he had heard her voice, let alone embrace her. At that particular moment, as much as he tried to deny it, but it felt just right to be there with her like that: holding her in his arms as if she was his and only his.

"It's alright, Haruhi. There's nothing to be afraid of now that I'm here." He said – clutching her closer to himself – his body and soul both starved of her touch.  
They stayed like that for quite some time – Tamaki consoling a sobbing and terrified Haruhi in his arms with soft words from his inexhaustible vocabulary. When the thunder and lightning had lessened a bit and Haruhi had calmed down such that her sobs had ceased, only then did she realize who exactly it was who was holding her and she involuntarily stepped back suddenly.  
Tamaki could not make anything out of Haruhi's this gesture. He was utterly confused and a little hurt that she would draw away from him.

"Wh - why?"Haruhi finally managed to utter some broken words after conjuring up much courage.

"What?"

"Wh- Why are you here?"

"Oh. W-Well, you see I knew you were afraid of Thunder-storms so you know I...I thought you would need somebody by your side. How could I leave you alone? Though –"

"B- But –"

"-- It was extremely thoughtless of me to forget that now you have your husband and child to take care of you and you don't need me any longer."He explained quickly although his voice was getting softer with each word he spoke along with his sinking heart."Now you have your family. I'm –"

Suddenly Haruhi broke out into sobs once again.

"­- Sorry?"He asked with his eyebrow raised. Then he immediately panicked seeing Haruhi break out crying like that.

"I- I am really sorry Haruhi. Did I say something? I- I didn't mean it really!"Tamaki cried out- making wild gestures with his hands and doing everything in his might to make Haruhi stop crying, but she only cried harder.

"I- I don't have any family. They've gone. L-left me –"

Suddenly a Thunder boomed and lightning flashed in the sky and Haruhi immediately cried out and jumped into Tamaki's arms clutching onto him for dear life.

"Its okay, Little Princess. There's nothing to be afraid of." Tamaki once again consoled her gently: one hand in her hair and the other patting gently on her back while she clutched the back of his shirt tightly with both hands. He continued whispering in her ear as she buried her face in his chest.  
"Its okay my darling Haruhi- my Princess. Don't worry now, don't be afraid – Daddy's here."

Suddenly Haruhi pushed him away and stepped out from his embrace.

"**You are not my Father**."She shouted: she was still shaking but was firm in her voice.

"Wh- But –"

"**Why are you here, Senpai?**"

"Of course you know that. Why all fath –"

"And don't give me that Father- Daughter nonsense. I don't want to hear it. It's not true. You're not my father. My father's dead. He's no more… no more."

"I know", he replied very softly – his bangs covering his eyes so that she could not see the emotion they expressed.

Haruhi's eyes widened with surprise at this statement. She just could not believe her ears. This could not be happening… The Tamaki she knew would always come up with some idiotic explanation trying to make Haruhi believe that he was her father or he would go into his Corner of Woe at her such outburst but he would never _ever_ admit that he was not her father. Never…  
Haruhi was extremely surprised and a little apprehensive. But she was more so because of his expression than because of the words he had just uttered.  
He was standing there absolutely still with his head bowed and his hair covering his eyes such that she could not make out his expression. It was the first time ever that she was unable to know his feelings and emotions or his thoughts and it was a little unnerving for her. She stepped a little closer to him in order to be able to judge his emotions.

"I know I'm not your father." He began softly. "No, not anymore. I'm nobody's father, nobody's son, nobody's idol, nobody's lord or king. No I'm not all that anymore. I'm not even anybody's best friend or even friend anymore. I- I'm not even Tamaki anymore. I'm just- just Suoh." He said softly and brokenly, a single tear escaping his eyes and sliding down his left cheek.

Haruhi – shocked at his words and sadness – stepped closer to him and hugged him pressing her right cheek to his left one: wiping away the tear in the process.

"It's not true", she whispered, "No. You're not anybody's nothing. You – you are **my** friend – **my** best friend – my…_my Tamaki._"She said softly.

"You are Tamaki to me. In fact you are everything to me. He – he was not my husband. I married him because it was my father's last wish. Even that child was not mine. In fact I never had any physical relationship with him. The child was his and now, after all this time he has left me and taken his own child with him. "  
"He is nothing to me. He never was." She uttered softly, tears now running down her own cheeks.

"Wh – What? That means –

"I did not love him" She said cutting him off. "I have yet to belong to somebody's"; she said it in whisper just so that he could barely hear it.

"B – Belong to s- somebody?!" He said: eyes wide, utterly confused. "Wh- What do you – "

"Tamaki sen – No. Tamaki" She said drawing back from his embrace a little to look directly into his beautiful and expressive violet eyes: her face barely an inch or two away from his. "I – I love you Tamaki. I always have since high school. Since the host club days." She spoke very quickly and apprehensively, her heart doing summersaults in her chest, still gazing into his eyes for some sort of encouragement.

"…"His eyes widened but not a sound came out of his mouth. He could not say anything: his brain still processing what the young maiden had just confessed.

"Yes, I love you." She said – words coming more easily now that the prime confession was over. "Even though you are my complete opposite. Even though you are rich and I am poor. Even though you are over- emotional and I'm un-emotional and even though I know that my feelings can't possibly be requited. But I've kept this feeling far too long inside me to suppress it any longer. Forgive me for this."

And saying so, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his.At the contact of her soft, warm lips against his cold ones- his mind reeled. And he lost himself into oblivion wherein the only thing he could feel was Haruhi's lips and her body pressed against him;the only scent he could smell was her;the only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat resounding painfully in his ears;and the only thing he could _taste _was her...  
Slowly - he did not know how or when - he closed his eyes to lose himself into his heaven which was Haruhi. His mind was too dazed with the inexplicable feeling of Haruhi's lips upon his and the taste of her for he could not respond to the kiss: his senses were in overload and he could do nothing but stand absolutely still- not moving a muscle; not knowing what to do - lest he should be deprived of this lovely moment. For the first time in his life he- along with his vivacious and vast vocabulary- had been rendered speechless by a simple kiss. It was however his first kiss: moreover it was Haruhi who was kissing him. It was all too much for his simple self...

Haruhi's heart was beating painfully against her chest. Never had she done anything so impulsive in her life: she was always the logical one, who reasoned things before attempting them, she was the hesitating one in their relationship. But here she had no choice: she could not wait any longer for it is important to grab an opportunity with both hands whenever you have a chance and thats what she did. She had kissed before but it had been a girl: she had never even thought that this feeling of kissing someone could be so...so... she did not have a word to explain it. And it certainly did not help that this someone was the love of her life...  
Instinctively, she pressed harder against him- to feel more of him; wanting him to respond. But when she did not receive any response- she just savoured the feeling with a sinking heart knowing that her feelings were not returned: not knowing whether she would be granted this bliss ever again in her life...

But ultimately, her heart could not take anymore and when tears started to fill her eyes, threatening to fall;she pulled back and looked apprehensively at Tamaki who still hadn't opened his eyes.

At the sight of her beautiful chocolate orbs once again, some feeling and conscious must have returned to him because he found himself muttering, "Wh – Why??"

"What?" She asked confused; with a pain in her heart as if it had been suddenly pierced by a thousand needles as she looked into the eyes of the man who could not belong to her and who did not reciprocate her feelings.

"I mean why did you not tell this to me before?" He said, returning to himself but still feeling exhilarated and amazed with what Haruhi had just told him. It was extremely hard for him to remain in his mind at that moment especially when he could still feel Haruhi's soft lips on his and her taste in his mouth. It was all he could do to remain in control of himself and not pounce upon her and claim her as his just yet.

"I- I was afraid then. I did not know whether you loved me in return or not. Moreover you – you always kept on non-stop with that Father- Daughter non-sense. And – And I just could not sacrifice our friendship. I just could not take that risk at that time." She said staring intently at her feet, all the time hands fidgeting.  
"And – and then… I got married. I thought it was all over."She completed sadly.

"And now?"Tamaki asked softly, looking down at her.

"Now?" She said looking up once again into his eyes; at first confused then understanding the sense of his words." Now I have nothing to lose anymore. B- But I still hope with all that I have that I shall not be deprived of your friendship and that this will not create any strain in our friendship." She pleaded rather than stated to him: her eyes looking pleadingly up at him- filled up with tears.

"Of course not my darling. Why do you say so?" Tamaki said joyously with a twinkle in his eyes, cupping her chin with one hand and placing the other on his chest," You've just made me the happiest man alive by saying that you love me and now you are asking me to forget everything about it all? This is unforgivable." said Tamaki returning to his high school-self.

"That- That means that" she stuttered: eyes wide, her heart hammering painfully against her ribcage.

"Yes, my dear Haruhi. I love you too." Tamaki said softly with a smile. "I have also loved you since our Host Club Days. Yes I loved you then too even though I refused to admit it – even to myself." He said in an extremely soft tone, looking at his hands.

"You – you see the only family I ever had before had consisted of only my mother. My father had always lived separately. And… well you know my grandmother – she never accepted me; no matter what I did. And when I came here, I was all alone: I had been separated from my mother and I – I didn't even know how to speak Japanese. "His voice clearly showed the pain and suffering he endured.

"Tamaki…"Haruhi said softly and lovingly, caressing the word in her mouth: putting her arms around his neck.

"When I came here, I formed the Host Club and slowly constructed a family._ My family._ My _own_ family which consisted of: me, Kyoya, Mori, Honey, Hikaru and Kaoru."He looked up at her: eyes bright but a deep anguish clearly visible in those deep, bright violet pools.

"I was happy: I had a family, friends and everything I could possibly want. And… then you came along and you affected me in a way no one ever had before. I started developing an attraction towards you. I could not understand what it was; I was developing affection for you. I did not want to understand what it was: I was in denial. In terms of family, you were a part of it and so you were my so called daughter as I was father to the family and I thought that if I began to see you in any other way than that, it could destroy my family. I simply was not able to take that risk: it was too much of a gamble."Tears were now leaking from his eyes.

"Oh, Tamaki", she said, now hugging him.

"But I – I guess I was wrong… In the end my family was destroyed and it was not because of my feelings or you. In the end, however hard I tried, my family did break up and – and I just couldn't do anything about it." He said, now sobbing openly." It's all over now Haruhi. My family has broken apart. All ties have snapped. The world that I had created has come to an end."

"It's Okay Tamaki. " It was now Haruhi's turn to console. She was shocked and extremely saddened at his this outburst. She could never have thought that all this time he could have been this much unhappy.  
"Families can be rebuild, Tamaki."She said hugging him tightly, placing her mouth next to his ear.

"Re – Rebuild?"

"Yes Tamaki, you can rebuild your family."She said softly.

"No" He said suddenly drawing back and holding her at arm's length by her shoulders.

"…"

"No" He said, "_**We **__can rebuild __**our**__ family._"

"Wh- what?"

Tamakisuddenly went on to one knee and after producing a beautiful red rose from seemingly out nowhere, asked Haruhi in his typical princely Host Club manner, "My lovely fair maiden, the ethereal glow on your face shames the moon and the lovely rosy blush on your cheeks puts the most beautiful red rose in the world to shame. I accept that I'm truly unworthy of yourself but still this one is quite persistent so he dares to ask you if you will choose this unworthy one as your significant other? Please do not break the heart of this one…"

"Tamaki" Haruhi said exasperated, not understanding a word of his flabbergasting speech.

He continued to stare up at her innocently with wide violet expectant eyes which gazed imploringly up at her. Then when he finally understood that she had not gotten the meaning of his little speech he said:" Haruhi, will you do me the honour of accepting my hand in marriage?"

"What? But –"

"Sigh. Will you marry me, Haruhi?" He finally put his elite and eccentric speech into the ultimate Four Words as he thought that Haruhi had still not understood him.

"Oh I know what you mean alright. What I want to say is that I'm already married and I don't know if this is right decision you are making. I'm not good enough for you..."

"Oh Haruhi..." Tamaki whined, "You more than what I deserve I can assure you that, my lovely princess. And as for your so called 'Husband', you can divorce him. It's not like you love him, Right? " He pleaded, all the while making puppy-eyes at her.

Finally after some battles with her inner self – Haruhi consented saying," Ok. Ok. I will marry you. But it's not because of those puppy-eyes of yours." Just as she said that Tamaki jumped to his feet and crushed her in his trademark bear hug.  
Haruhi sighed and then smiled contentedly, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of being safe in his arms.

"It's great to have you Back, Tamaki." She whispered lightly – her lips against his ear: kissing them.

Blushing red as a ripe tomato, he asked, "Wh – Why where did I go?"

"Nowhere. Nowhere at all."

From that day onwards, Haruhi no longer hated thunder-storms... Well, she was still afraid of them but being afraid of something does not necessarily mean hating that thing now, does it?  
No, she no longer hated thunder-storms because she knew that Tamaki will always be there for her.

After all – There story will always begin with Once upon a Thunder-Storm...

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So?? How was it? Love it? Like it? Hate it? What?? Let me know...


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